For those looking for a party tonight, the traditions continue.

For adults, Bismarck-Mandan Symphony is putting on its 11th annual New Year's Gala.

For teens and the college-age, the Light Club - New Song Community Church's youth club - is putting on its fifth annual event.

One will have fake champagne, live rock and acoustic bands, games and door prizes and is free.

The other won't, won't, won't and isn't.

The symphony's event, a symphony fund-raiser, is $75 a ticket. Included in that price will be a gourmet supper and a Broadway-hits concert by singers Adam Reinwald and Molly Sue McDonald, accompanied by the symphony. And then there will be dancing into the new year with the sounds of the Joe Friday Band. Black tie is optional.

The gala starts at 6:15 p.m. with a social hour. At midnight there will be champagne and party favors.

McDonald's performances have taken her throughout the United States, as well as to Canada, France and Belgium. She has spent the last four seasons with Minneapolis' Guthrie Theater, has performed with Garrison Keillor as a guest on "A Prairie Home Companion," and her lullaby collection received the ALA Notable Children's Recording Award.

The symphony and guest artists will perform classic and modern Broadway hits - everything from Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein III hits, such as "You'll Never Walk Alone," "My Favorite Things" and "Climb Every Mountain," to more recent hits such as "When I Look at You," from "The Scarlet Pimpernel" and "Bring Him Home," from "Les Miserables."

The menu, prepared by Ramkota Inn staff, is a four-course meal, the main course being beef medallions with Bordelaise sauce. The Ramkota Inn is offering a special room rate for anyone who attends the New Year's Gala.

Meanwhile, on the north side of town at the Light Club, 3200 N. 11th St., the free party goes from 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.

The Light Club, which has a separate entrance on the church's west end - look for the neon light - will host two live bands. Stainless, a Bismarck rock band, will perform from about 9:45 to 10:45 p.m. Wild Olives, a Minot acoustical group, will play from about 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 a.m.

Activities will include an interactive on-stage game show with prize possibilities and door prizes of everything from George Foreman grills to a a 27-inch color television.

This party's target group is junior high through college ages - ages 14-24.

Fake champagne will be served at midnight.

Last year's event had more than 200 attendees. This year the word is that kids are coming from as far away as Beulah and Minot, so it's not known how big the crowd will get this year, Kurt Chaffee, youth pastor, said Tuesday.

For more information, call 258-5683.

(Reach reporter Virginia Grantier at 250-8254 or at vgrantier@ndonline.com.)